


Seven Forty-Six

by swagonit4today



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Dangan Ronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc
Genre: Alternate Universe - Non-Despair (Dangan Ronpa), Brotps, Cliche, Epic Friendship, Eventual Romance, F/M, Hajime and Nagito are in college, Heartbreak, Hope Triplets TM, M/M, Naegi and Hajime and Komaeda are bros, Naegi can sing, Naegi is still in HS, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Past Relationship(s), Recovering From Relationships, Slow Build, Slow Burn, The boys love Dr. Pepper
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-11
Updated: 2020-05-29
Packaged: 2021-03-02 17:41:10
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,900
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24140734
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/swagonit4today/pseuds/swagonit4today
Summary: Makoto is best friends with Hajime and Nagito, and his 2 year relationship with Sayaka is ending. In his final year of high school at Hope's Peak, he earns himself a part-time job as a task support member of a Togami book publishing office. And of course, he finds himself working for Togami, his classmate that he's known for years. But Makoto has no idea that Togami used to, or still does, like him and had to live through seeing him be happy with Sayaka.
Relationships: Hinata Hajime/Komaeda Nagito (slight), Maizono Sayaka/Naegi Makoto(past), Naegi Makoto/Togami Byakuya
Comments: 50
Kudos: 64





	1. Cocoa and Comfort

“Hey, can you pass the Dr. Pepper?”

“No, you get it yourself.”

The TV screen illuminated the rather dark room the three boys sat in, though none were paying much attention to what was on screen. They were in a comfortable discussion about what, nobody really knew, and just enjoying the presence of them all hanging out together. They squeezed close together to share the warmth under the blanket, sandwiching the taller brunette in the middle. 

Nagito sighed and moved an arm to rub his neck. “If I moved it’d be uncomfortable. It’d be such a bother for both of you.” 

Makoto was already reaching for the bottle instinctively before Hajime grabbed his arm and pulled it back, a playful smirk on his lips. “Let him suffer”.

“Hajimeee,” Nagito whined, pouting. 

Hajime turned to face him and poked his tummy a little. Earning a giggle from the white-haired boy, he continued to prod at his soft tummy with increasing pace until he had the other keeling over in laughter. Makoto grinned at the two, but he couldn’t help but feel just a little left out every once in a while despite their tightly-knit friendship.

Since Makoto had left home to attend Hope’s Peak Academy, his sister couldn’t always be there for him. Every weekend, or almost every weekend, the three of them got together after their busy schedules to cheer each other up at one of their houses. Hajime and Nagito lived together, and Makoto had an apartment neighboring them. These meetings had been going on since the beginning of high school, and now they were now just beginning college. Well, the two upperclassmen were. Hajime and Nagito had met each other a year or two previous to Makoto, so they seemed to share a bond that Makoto couldn’t quite reach. And subtle feelings had been exchanged between the two of them in the past, but the small brunette didn’t even know if they were officially together. Nonetheless, they were the two closest friends to him despite being a year older, and the three of them would probably die for another. They all had one thing in common: their love for hope.

After several more minutes of the tickle fight ensued, Makoto got up quietly so as not to disturb them and headed to the kitchen to grab some water. Some ice cold water to clear his mind and body. It had been an extremely long week, and even someone as optimistic as he was dragged down by it. He let out a deep breath and tried to reassure himself that things will get better and there are plenty more opportunities in the future. 

He was invited to Hope’s Peak Academy as the lucky student of his class, as his name was pulled in a lottery. Though his luck had miraculously worked sometimes, he felt luck wasn’t really a “talent”. His luck, along with being a classmate of Togami’s, had earned him a part-time job in an office section of the Togami corporation of being a task support member. But despite his luck, he hardly believed in it.

Naturally, he often felt a bit insecure of himself while surrounded by so many unique people at his school. He felt he was just.. Average. But despite that fact, he pushed himself forward with confidence and hope that things will turn out alright. He went out of his way to try to befriend all of his classmates, even the stone-cold heir Byakuya Togami. In order to help himself reach out and bond better with the other students, he had joined and tried several club activities, though the only one he felt decently confident at was Idol Club. 

Upon his first day at Hope’s Peak Academy, he had realized that Sayaka Maizono was part of his class. The Sayaka Maizono that had gone to junior high with him as well. He could still remember the utter joy and happiness when she told him that she remembered him and had always wanted to become friends, as he had had a crush on the blue-haired girl for a while, and it only deepened while being an invested member in Idol Club. Makoto could still vividly remember the day he had gone to Idol Club and Sayaka had complimented him on.. A few things.  
~  
The afternoon sun shone through the windows and illuminated the two that were left in the room. Makoto always took a while to pack up, and he had stayed a bit longer to have a casual conversation about, you know, school things, friend things…

“Hey, Naegi-kun?”

Her soft, melodic voice made Makoto stop what he was doing and he spun around to look in her direction. She stood in front of the window, the sun causing her to glow and tainting her skin a golden shade. She looked so.. Beautiful. Her eyes sparkled at the brunette, and she had a faint blush on her cheeks. 

Giving her his attention was enough for her to continue what she was saying. “You know, you actually have quite a bit of talent in this field. I’m.. impressed.”

Makoto smiled bashfully and rubbed the back of his neck with a hand, his gaze lowering. “Ah, thank you! Though I don’t think -”

Whatever he was going to say was cut off by the other. “No - I’m very honest. Compared to many of the others, you seem to have a natural talent at this.” Sayaka paused for a moment and rested a pink-nailed finger on her lips. “We never really had the chance to talk before in junior high, but… I always thought you were very sweet.. And now we have a chance to get to know each other. I’d like to hang out together and get to know you better..”

He looked up at her and blinked widely, a blush spreading across his cheeks. His crush was complimenting him and wanted to get to know him better?

“I-I.. Thank you, you too! I mean you’re really….sweet...too..” Smooth, Makoto.. Very smooth. You might’ve just ruined the moment!

The blue-haired girl giggled softly and smiled at him. “Not at all, don’t worry about it! I think it’s kind of...cute…” 

When Makoto just looked back at her, blushing a deeper shade and gaping his mouth with no noise, she just giggled again, the sound music to his ears. 

“I’m psychic!”

“Kidding! I just have really good intuition!”  
~  
The brunette was yanked out of his thoughts by Nagito and Hajime entering the kitchen, still laughing and teasing each other. Makoto found that he was staring into his glass, and had no idea how long he’d been zoning out in there.

“Hey, Makoto! You alright?” Hajime asked. He released his hold on Nagito and came over to wrap an arm around his shoulder. More like resting his arm, since the other was quite a bit shorter.

“Huh?” Makoto blinked his eyes and looked up at the other two boys. “Oh, yeah. I’m just zoning out a little.” A large part of this meeting was to get stuff off his chest, and the short brunette had been bottling up something important since 5 days prior. Despite them being his best friends, Makoto didn’t want to burden them with such things and weigh them down. Unfortunately for his efforts, he was as easy to read as a book.

Hajime sighed and squeezed him closer. “I know there’s something bothering you. Let’s sit down and talk, yeah?” When Makoto slowly nodded his mop of brown hair, the taller brunette looked over at Nagito. “This calls for the kettle corn and hot chocolate! The good quality popcorn! Quick!”

He complied and went to grab the snacks while Hajime guided Makoto to the couch. He grabbed a blanket and tucked the younger boy in comfy and cozy. A mope obstructed the usually cheerful brunette’s face, but it lightened a bit after being taken care of by his friend. 

Nagito came back with a bowl of popcorn and extra-chocolatey hot chocolate. He handed the mug to Makoto and then proceeded to sit on the other side of him. The drink was still hot, so he warmed it up in his hands while it cooled off enough to drink.

“So, what’s been bothering you, Makoto?” 

Now he had no choice but to answer Hajime’s question. They were his friends after all, so why had he felt the reluctance to talk to them? Of course they cared about him dearly. He gazed into the chocolatey depths of his drink, giving himself the strength to talk about it.

“Well, you see, this actually happened a few days ago. But uh…” He scratched his cheek with his finger. “Well, it’s about Sayaka and I.”

Nagito picked up a popcorn kernel and fed it to Makoto who opened his mouth to receive it. “Oh no.. What happened?”

The small brunette smiled sadly and continued to stare into his hot beverage that was nearly burning his hands on the mug. “She.. We’ve been busy recently, I guess. Hanging out less. And with me starting my part-time job, I’m gonna need to take a lot of shifts. And she.. She said she wanted to break it off with me. She met up with me and said it was until things get less busy with her idol tours, but she said she didn’t know when that would be. It could be years, she said..” He paused to clear his voice that was waning in strength. “And since we’re in our third year, she is looking towards the future and her official career and stuff.. All that. So she will just keep getting busier. It’s probably for the best, but,” he sighed softly and began to feel warm tears welling in the corner of his eyes, “It’s not easy. To think after two years of dating we’re just going to split like that.”

The other two boys’ hearts were aching as well to see their sweet and caring friend like this. They leaned in and hugged him, giving him warmth while Makoto began to softly sob onto Nagito’s shoulder. Not that he really knew which shoulder he was crying into, not that it really mattered. 

While Hajime held one of his hands, Nagito gently brushed Makoto’s hair back and comforted him. “Shh, it’s alright, we’re here for you. This is why we’re best friends.”

“It’ll be okay, Makoto. You’re strong, you’ve always been. You’ll get over this mound and you’ll see the other side and you’ll find you’re even stronger after all this.” Hajime squeezed his hand tighter. “Hell, you’re the nicest person I’ve ever met and I’m sure you’ll meet many other people. I’m sure Sayaka knows this as well, but she has to think for herself too. I know she really cares about you, and this wasn’t an easy decision to make.”

Makoto continued to sob into his friend’s arm, hearing his words and just letting it all out. It was true, that was all true. It might have been easier to get over this if Sayaka hadn’t been such a kind person. But she was. He knew that she really cared about him, and he didn’t know if there was a way to bury all those sweet memories and emotions. But there was hope. There was always hope shining there in the future, and so many opportunities out there. 

And so, he let out all the emotions that were bottled up and let his two friends comfort him. In that moment, the strongest feeling he could feel was the love for his two friends who were always there for him. Eventually, the three of them were hugging each other and tearing up with joy, with Makoto repeating words of appreciation to the two of them and just positive feelings all around. The three were cheering each other up; Nagito had begun another rant about his love for hope after it was mentioned; Hajime was poking and prodding at Makoto’s tummy while he tried not to spill his drink; Makoto was smiling and laughing again with his friends, a huge weight lifted off of him. The three of them ended up singing songs they knew by heart and dancing to their heart’s content, the two older boys still a bit impressed at Makoto’s voice and..moves. They just had fun that night, the three of them, feeling like there was nothing in the world to worry about.

And that was all that mattered in that moment.


	2. Plants and Papers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Makoto is abruptly thrown into his first day of work and meets some of his coworkers. To his surprise, he recognizes some familiar faces.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a bit slow probably, but I had get some of the logistics down. Surprise guest at the very end..!

The trio had stayed up until the sun rose, so they woke up later than usual. They couldn’t sleep in, however, because somebody’s phone continued to ring. It was a sweet little melody that the boys knew had to belong to Makoto, and eventually he reluctantly threw off the blankets and hopped off the bed they were sharing. 

When he neared his phone, he saw the caller ID and his blood ran cold. He picked up the phone frantically, practically dropping it, and managed to squeak out a “Hello?”

“Hi. Is this Naegi-san?” It was a girl’s voice, one he kind of recognized? maybe?

“Y-yes!” 

“Hello. I apologize for the short notice, but actually need you to come in and start training today at 10:00. Will you be able to make it?”

Makoto froze. He wasn’t supposed to go into work until this coming tuesday! It was saturday.. He wasn’t ready. But at the same time, he wanted to keep his mind occupied with something he could continue to improve on and spark himself some new confidence. 

“Yes, I can make it. Thank you for letting me know!” 

“Alright, thank you. See you then.” 

The person on the other line hung up, and Makoto let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding. Blankets shuffled behind him and then he heard a groan as someone stretched.

“Makoto why,” Hajime paused to yawn, “are you? Are? Is your phone? Why are you up? Get back over here.”

Makoto turned to see his friend’s hazel eyes half-lidded and coated with a sleepy daze. Nagito stirred beside him, hearing the commotion, and Makoto just saw his fluff of hair shift.

“I uh - I got called in to work today. Apparently they need me earlier than I expected, so I have to go in at 10,” he said quietly.

Hajime blinked sleepily at him. “That sucks..”

“Yeah, good luck Makoto,” his fluffy-haired friend murmured beside him. So much for the support - they were too lazy to get up. Well, Makoto supposed he couldn’t blame them. Getting up when you’re tired is one of the most difficult things sometimes.

He still felt exhausted, but he didn’t have much of a choice as to getting more sleep. He checked his phone and saw a few messages from Sayaka. His heart sank at the memory, but then he noticed the time on his phone and - 

“Oh crap!! It’s nine o’clock! Hajime, I need to borrow some clothes!”

The only response he received was a slight wave of a hand from his friend. Well, that was all he needed. He would have to operate on 3-4 hours of sleep then. And there was no time to reply to his messages. But what to wear.. He knew the corporation was formal, but he was still a part-time worker so he shouldn’t dress too formally..And he didn’t even know which section they were going to put him in. Undoubtedly, there were probably hundreds of offices in that building. The brunette shook his head to clear his thoughts and decided on a white button-up and a green tie with slacks. Good enough, right? Makoto rushed to shower, attempted to tame his hair, and grabbed a granola bar for breakfast. He packed his little backpack with whatever he could, and threw it over his shoulders. He said his goodbyes to his friends who were probably still passed out asleep and ran out of the apartments.

Thankfully, the building wasn’t too far away from their apartment complex. Just a few blocks down and he would be there. But running on foot was the apparent choice he had, since he didn’t own a bike or a car. Since he was running out of time, he speedwalked and practically jogged most of the way. So much for taming his hair. Well, who cared - he had 25 minutes until 10, and of course he was expected to arrive early! Makoto realized he had to set his priorities straight.

The tall building loomed before him as he caught his breath for a moment. (and to tame his hair). The building was rather intimidating to say the least, especially with his less-than-average height. But nonetheless, he took a deep breath and summed up enough courage to take his first step in.

What greeted him was a very rigid and stern atmosphere, and he immediately felt anxiety rush into his body. The lobby was elaborately decorated and sparkling clean with 4 elevators on the first floor. He had been told to go to floor 8 and await instruction, so the brunette supposed he had no other choice. 

Very serious business people walked around the lobby of the building, making it feel even more uncomfortable. Makoto felt so out-of-place as being an average kid in such an uptight, famous Togami building. Of course there were numerous other buildings that the Togami business owned and worked in, but it still felt special nonetheless.

Makoto tried to make himself look more confident as he walked into an elevator with some other people and pressed his floor. But his palms were sweaty, and it wasn’t a very convincing act. He was being stared at by some taller people, so he just tried to stand still and avoid eye contact.

Ding!

This was his floor. He walked out of the elevator and took in the scenery before him: A bunch of rows of desks, the scent of paper, books, and what Makoto could only describe as “business”, a few enclosed glass rooms - the conference rooms - and people. There were lots of plants decorated around the office area, and the color scheme was cozier and more comforting than the lobby. He took a deep breath and looked around for someone to come up to him or something, and eventually someone’s heels clopped towards him after receiving a few glares from some workers. 

When he looked up, he saw the familiar face of the stoic girl from his class. Kirigiri? His eyebrows furrowed together and he opened his mouth to speak, but the girl gestured for him to follow her. Her long, lavender hair floated behind her as she spun around, and Makoto followed her into her little office area. 

The brunette sat down in front of her desk as she had done the same. It was oddly silent for a few moments before she began to talk.

“Hello, Naegi-san. There’s not much to train you for, so you’ll probably have to end up just going where I assign you. It’s a simple job.” Her tone was very strict and professional despite their quiet friendship, and Makoto was somewhat amazed at how she treated him like she didn’t even know him. “The most important thing,” she said, crossing her arms as her tone grew more serious, “is that you treat everyone here professionally. While you are in here, we are not classmates. I am your superior worker, as are most of the others here. Your boss is your boss, and so forth.”

Makoto took a moment to absorb the information, and then nodded his head in agreement before she continued.

“This is the book publishing department. However, that should not change much for you, as you are just a member of the task support team. You do what the workers ask, bring them papers and coffees, clean and organize, arrange times for meetings and set them up.” 

Kirigiri handed Makoto a few papers, some of which mapped the building and the floor out. It had some hand-written notes and tips, as well as a circled portion of the map in which he was to work in.

“That’s all I have for you right now. However, you should be aware that your luck and past job experience is.. Surprising. Your references had great things to say of you. And so, you’ve been placed here.” A gloved finger pointed to the circled portion of the map. She smirked faintly and looked back into Makoto’s eyes. “Good luck.”

To Makoto, that felt less like a serious wish and more like a challenge. He said his thanks to his friend.. Or superior now.. And began to head in the direction the map pointed him in. It was strange for him to think that Kirigiri, a detective, was working in the same place as him. He had no clue why, but he supposed he would have to ask her another time. How’d a high-schooler manage to get such a high position here? And in a book publishing section of all places- it seemed random.

The nervous brunette managed to wave and smile at a few friendly people in the office who noticed him. There was a girl with short red hair and a friendly smile, and a rather good-looking male whose ear sparkled with ear piercings. His ruffled head of green hair raised up, and he waved his hand in a casual greeting. Pens and various sketches and photos were strewn about on the desk. Makoto assumed that the two were to be arguing about the cover design of a book, and a short blonde brought them freshly printed papers. They made eye contact, but the blonde made no friendly gesture towards him. Instead, he sent a glare and walked away without a greeting. Though Makoto thought he ought to feel intimidated, the boy’s soft features eased the menace in his glare.

He finally reached the area that was circled on the map, noticing a small, empty desk that he assumed was meant for him. Makoto set his stuff down on the table and looked around him. He was in a quiet corner of the office room, next to a glass room with the shades pulled down. Two desks down sat a silver-haired girl with an elegant and mature air to her. Her large desk was customized with plants and rustic antiques. Just that alone gave the workspace a relaxing and homey vibe. He smiled and waved at who he assumed to be his superior, and she gave a small smile and greeted him with a welcome. Thank goodness there were some friendly faces here!

“Hello. You must be Naegi. It’s a pleasure to have you here. I’m Kirumi Tojo, and I’ll be guiding you through your first few days here.” Her voice was soothing, and Makoto’s tightly knit nerves eased up a bit. “I’m the head of the task support team and an editor, so I’ll be here and there. So feel free to get comfy at your desk, it’s all yours.”

Makoto flashed a friendly grin at her. “Thank you, it’s a pleasure to meet you!”

He seated down in his chair and began to organize his space with the small amount of stuff he had brought. Now that he was here, his body itched to check his phone for the messages Sayaka had sent. He knew it wouldn’t be proper work etiquette and that it would probably hurt his heart more, but he had to get over it one way or another. And he couldn’t ignore her forever. But before he could make a decision, his train of thought was interrupted by a persistent beep. 

He found that the phone on the desk was the source of the beeping noise, and Makoto wondered if he should pick it up. Why was a phone beeping, first of all? But also.. how was he supposed to know what to do when nobody really told him anything..? For such an important corporation, they really just kind of informally threw him into the current. He nervously scratched at his cheek and picked up the phone, muttering a confused hello.

“Is this the new worker, Naegi?” An impatient voice.

“Yes.” He was surprised his voice didn’t waver.

“Enter the room to your right.”

“Okay, I’ll be right there!”

The other line hung up and Makoto got to his feet. He was nervously shaking a little, feeling alone, but he was proud of how far he’d already gotten. This job seemed far more professional than his past ones, and he figured that he could learn and improve from his experience working here. With a grin, he opened the door and stepped into the room, shutting it behind him. 

His heart stopped when he turned around and saw none other than Byakuya Togami, the heir to the entire family business and his classmate, sitting behind the desk like he owned the place. (Well, he technically did-) But despite seeing him so many times at school, seeing him here with long legs crossed, his arms folded, and a very serious look on his face was somehow very much more intimidating. His stomach knotted up in nervousness as he met the icy-cold eyes with a wide stare.

“What are you waiting for? Sit down.”


	3. Coffee and Cafes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Makoto suffers through his first day of work and interacts with Togami..

His tone of voice was so stern and almost.. angry; it made Makoto flinch, though he complied as quickly as his limbs could take him. If he didn’t know Togami prior, he would have assumed he was extremely upset with him.

But this wasn’t the Togami that he had spent time with, though he had never spent much time with him in general. No, this was another Togami entirely. The gaze that was returned in his eyes was as though he was looking at a stranger, something he could just pluck out and discard in a single motion. Makoto swallowed nervously and felt his mouth going dry.

“Before you say anything, I will make one thing clear. In this office, we are not classmates. I am your boss; everything is strictly business. Our past experiences mean nothing here. Your official job is to be a task support member, though you are practically my personal assistant. It seems your luck has somehow earned you the opportunity to wallow in my presence.”

The blonde picked up a printed paper and handed it to Makoto, handling it as though it was dirty. “These are my preferences. Adjust to them and remember them, or you’ll be fired from the job. Understood?”

Makoto’s green eyes scanned over the tiny print on the paper. It had everything from the way he drank his coffee to where he got his clothes cleaned to how to water and take care of each and every plant in his room. He bit his lip nervously as he read through the overly-detailed list and felt a bone-chilling stare. He looked up into Togami’s eyes and felt their icy-blue glare piercing through him. Amongst the nervousness, Makoto felt.. Annoyed. Just a tinge of annoyance. This guy was his age, his classmate, and he had such..gall to speak down to him like this. But.. it was a well-paying job that he needed. So for now, he’d have to deal with it. It’s not like it would be the hardest thing in the world, right?

“....Understood.”

The heir brought his attention back to the papers on his desk.“Good. Now, attempt to make me a coffee before the other workers get here. You will be doing tasks for them as well, and I only work here part of the day.”

Makoto nodded and from the silence and sudden ignorance, he assumed he was dismissed. He got up and left the room, heading over to make his coffee. He followed the directions to the best of his ability, and came back to the room with it.

The picky heir didn’t even touch the cup before dismissing him and ordering him to make another. And another.. And another.. And just when Makoto thought that he finally had it, it was rejected with a scoff. 

“It has an unbearably bittersweet taste. Disgusting.” 

Kirigiri’s words repeated through his head, along with her smirk. He understood now, the intention behind those words. She knew just what he had been heading into.

Good luck.

~ ~ ~

By the end of the day, Makoto had succeeded in making coffee that was “drinkable”, and had begun to get a hang on his job. His superior had requested that he call her by her first name, Kirumi, and gave him more tips about his job there. It was overall a good experience, if it weren’t for the discomfort he felt when he had to confront the heir in his office.

Makoto was heading out of the glass office after delivering his last bit of paperwork for the day when he heard a throat clear behind him. He had come to conclude that this was Togami’s way of addressing him, so he turned back around to face the blonde who was now standing with his arms crossed.

“I’d like to speak with you. Outside of the office. Meet me at the cafe down the corner in twenty minutes.”

It wasn’t a request, it was a demand. Because of that, Makoto had little choice but to nod in agreement. After all, he’d wanted to talk to the blonde as well since he had so many questions after his first day of work.

“Alright, I’ll see you soon then,” he replied, walking out of the room.

~ ~ ~

Makoto returned to his desk to pack and noticed that most of the people in the office had already left, save for Kirumi and a few others he didn’t know. On his way out, he thanked the silver-haired girl for her help and tried not to get lost in the labyrinth of desks. 

As soon as he stepped foot out of the building, he felt the warm sun on his skin and let out a deep breath. Though his day hadn’t been terribly difficult or tasking - haha that’s funny, tasks.. - it was far from relaxing. And now that he was free, he felt relief surge through his body. The rush of positivity flooded back into him, and he looked around for the cafe that Togami had mentioned. He supposed a nice walk wouldn’t hurt, so he took his time and enjoyed the scenery. 

It was just typical city scenery, with cars buzzing down the street and all kinds of people dressed in unique and expressive fashion. In the current moment, Makoto didn’t have to worry about Sayaka, school, work, or any of his other worries. He was just proud of himself for how far he’d gotten and how far the possibilities stretched in the future. 

However happy this moment was, it was short-lived. The clouds passed overhead for a moment, and the brunette’s supply of dopamine-inducing thoughts slowed down. Right, he was supposed to be meeting his..boss? Friend? Classmate? He looked up and saw the sign for the cafe he could only hope was the one Togami had been referring to and headed in. His stomach growled loudly, and he remembered that he had forgotten to eat his granola bar. Not that that was a proper breakfast, anyway.

The doors opened with a jingle and the comforting aroma of coffee wafted through the air. He ordered a sandwich and sat down at a table near the front where Togami would be able to easily see him. A jolt shocked his stomach when he realized that he had yet to read and respond to Sayaka’s messages as well as inform his friends on how his day went.

He pulled his phone out of his bag and went straight to text messages.

Sayaka: Hello, Mako-chan! You’ve been rather quiet so I was wondering if you were okay.

Sayaka: Though from my experience, I know you’re strong and can get through a lot :)

Sayaka: Umm, I’m leaving Sunday night to fly to London. I’ll be gone for a few weeks and thought I’d let you know. The academy is allowing me to do work online during these few weeks. I understand you probably need time, but it’d be nice to say goodbye in person..

The brunette could practically hear her voice in her texts, calling him by his nickname, and his heart ached at the thought. Of course his first instinct was to tell her that he was going to miss her and would meet up without a problem. But now that they weren’t together, he didn’t know quite how to respond to it. As he began to type a response, his sandwich arrived.

Makoto: I’m doing quite fine! I might not be able to make it to see you off though, but I hope you have a safe trip. I was unexpectedly called into work today, so it might happen again ( ´Д`)y

Don’t do it Makoto, don’t do it Makoto don’t do it -

Makoto: But it’s unlikely, so I’ll let you know so we can see each other.

He bit his lip after he sent it, trying not to regret his reply. Of course he wanted to see her, even though it would break his heart even more.. Makoto set his phone down and took a bite of his sandwich, realizing just how hungry he was. After devouring half of one, he received a reply.

Sayaka: Mako-chan… I know you never use the word “fine” unless you’re not doing well.. :( But really, it’s okay if you don’t make it tomorrow!

Mako-chan.. The second use of the nickname she’d given him practically tore his heart in two. He felt his lip waver slightly and his eyes begin to blur, but he tried his hardest to stop. He was in public. And there was a reason he was sitting here in the first place, right? -

Motion flickered in front of him as someone took their seat across from him. An icy glare met his gaze. Right, he was here to meet Togami! Crap!

He attempted to erase the hurt and ache from his heart and expression, but of course he was never great at hiding his emotions. His heart still felt as though it was shattered, like there was a gaping hole in there. But to his relief, the heir didn’t give any hint that he had noticed. Of course Makoto knew he wasn’t stupid, but he felt better knowing that the blonde wouldn’t try to talk to him about it. Or did he secretly want comfort from the boy sitting across from him?

Togami looked down at the phone in his hand, then back up to his eyes. He pushed his glasses up and crossed his arms. Why was he always folding his arms? Maybe he was secretly awkward and didn’t know what else to do with them?

“Hello. First of all, I’d like to remind you that there is a fine line between professional relationships and whatever is outside of that.” His voice was stern and serious, but not nearly as intimidating as it had been at work. And of course, Makoto knew that this guy never wasted a second and always went straight to the point. Classic Togami. “I’d like to mention that I expected you to be in your usual cheerful demeanor. However, you seemed to be constantly distracted at work today.”

The brunette’s first thought was that he was being called out for performing poorly at work. A lump began to form in his throat - he didn’t need this extra stress, not now that he was on the verge of tears. But looking back into the other’s blue eyes, he saw a twinge of something else he couldn’t quite place.

He continued on. “If this persists and affects your work, I hope that you’re aware that I will take matters into my own hands. Though you’re just a lowly part-time worker, I’m still your boss, and I intend to make sure my employees are in top shape.” The blonde shifted slightly. “And so, I will need to communicate directly with you.”

Makoto took a moment to absorb it, resting his hand on his chin. This was Togami he was talking to. Despite years of knowing him as a classmate, he never knew him as well as he hoped. He was acting like a regular, strict businessman. But.. something about this told him that something was different. It didn’t seem like a very Togami-like thing to ask a “lowly” worker to meet up one-on-one. Was it possible that the cold-hearted heir had noticed his change in mood and was worried about him? No, that couldn’t be. He pushed that thought to the back of his mind and replied before the other got impatient.

“Yeah, I mean we all have things going on outside of work, too. It’s not easy to ignore personal issues sometimes, heh.. But like you said, it’s good to try to keep personal things outside of the work zone.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “But uh, are you saying you want my phone number?”

The blonde nodded slowly. “Precisely.”

As the boss of the company, Makoto was puzzled at the fact that Togami had asked him directly. He should have access to his employees numbers. He knew it wasn’t a great habit to jump to conclusions from assumptions, but he couldn’t help thinking it. Finally deciding to shrug it off for now, he gave him his number so Togami could type it in. 

The heir sent him a message, and sure enough it dinged Makoto's phone. “Before you jump to conclusions, this is not so we can act all chummy.”

Not that his mind was even going there. But Makoto grinned widely, happy for some odd reason. His thoughts led him to the assumption that there was a possibility so slight that Togami cared for him or wanted to be his friend in some way. The cold-hearted boy who he had never gotten to truly befriend. And just the tiniest little possibility filled him with hope.

“Of course! For safety and communication!” he responded, taking another bite out of his sandwich that he’d nearly forgotten about. The other boy watched him eat, and the brunette couldn’t tell if he was disgusted or just zoning out. 

“Good. Then I will be taking my leave.” He stood up and picked up his bag, and Makoto had to strain his neck to look up at him. “And do take it easy so that you won’t be distracted on Monday.”

Makoto swallowed his food and waved. “Alright! Take care, Togami!”

The bells on the door rang as he left the cafe without looking back, and Makoto finished the rest of his food with a small smile on his face. Despite everything happening with Sayaka, he felt confident that this job would help him immensely. He reminded himself with the fact that there were so many interesting people out there and that relationships aren't everything in life. He could meet tons of new people and learn to heal his heart eventually. The piercing pain in his heart faded away to a dull ache.

Of course, he knew he would have moments where he missed her; where his heart ached terribly. But he realized that there were so many new opportunities out there as well to explore.

For the first time in as long as he could remember, he felt.. Free.


	4. Feelings and Frustrations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A chapter from Togami's perspective as he reflects.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bear with me while he refers to Naegi with anything BUT his name for a while..

He stepped back out into the fresh spring air, breathing a sigh of relief as the bell rang and the door shut behind him. His heart pounded rather harshly in his chest, though he remained cool and collected on the outside. After a few years, he found that it was something he had had to get used to. He was past the point of denial. He knew it was true, but he continuously hoped that one of these days it would fade. 

He liked the brunette perhaps, just maybe, a little more than a friend. That much was decided after the years he’d spent stuck in this situation.

The heir walked down the street towards his penthouse with his long strides, walking away from the boy who still sat in the cafe with his sandwich, who was always nagging his mind; away from his intrusive emotions. He could have called his personal driver, but today he had decided to walk to clear his mind. The scent of burgers from the tavern nearby wafted overhead, and dozens of people sat side-by-side in the outdoor seating to discuss their lives. The heir shoved his hands into his coat pocket and zoned out the annoyingly buzzing noise to just the sound of his footsteps.

Over the years, he’d tried his best to sever these.. Feelings. They were unnecessary; they were something he didn’t *need*. They made him feel disgusted and frustrated to feel the same things that occupied and controlled every other imbecile on this planet. Of course, he was far superior to those kinds of people. Yet, “emotions” were something that linked him to them, though he was yet to act on them. Or had he already…?

He crossed the street and headed to the apartment complex that shouldered his penthouse. It seemed so out-of-place in this part of the city, but it was somewhat a relief from the rest of it. It was behind an elegant little park endorned with fountains, fluffy grass, stone pathways, and wildlife. Strolling through the park and up the path to the complex, he picked up the sharp scent of lilacs and posies that decorated the front of the building. Tch, what a disappointing assortment of flowers he had to be greeted by every day.

But.. then he *had* acted on his emotions, hadn’t he? The job position. It was too great of a “coincidence”, and he knew he couldn’t deny the effort he put into assigning the brunette where he was. He felt the presence of his cell phone against his thigh and suddenly remembered flashes of the other boy’s grief-stricken face, his bright eyes glistening with moisture, and then shook his head to try to clear it and relax his heart. So much for not acting on emotions. Frustration bubbled up in his chest when he thought about how he was linked even closer to all the faceless, brainless nobodies.

Byakuya decided that reflection would only be allowed to continue once he was safely within the walls of his house. Public areas were rather uncomfortable when emotions were near overflowing. Despite his years of training and building his stoicness, there was only one thing that could threaten to break it.

He stepped through the front doors into the lobby. Elevator, button, up. His floor. Step out. Key. Unlock. Shoes off. Flop onto the plush luxury couch nearby.

But try as he did, never could he stop his emotions when he saw the other boy’s face. Especially when he flashed that heart-warming grin at him, as he had in the cafe. His presence just lightened his day - seeing the fluffy mop of brown hair, the tiny freckles that danced on his little button nose, the pink hue of his cheeks, his clumsiness, his laugh, his flustering, his sparkling, bright green eyes. Eyes that hardly met his, which fueled his flames of internal frustration. To Byakuya, all of it was.. Cute. And that was something that once it came to his mind, he could never get it out. And he definitely didn’t want to think about just how *frustrated* he’d been all these years. In all uses of the word.

He stood up to brew himself a cup of tea and tried to ignore the silence, the emptiness, the loneliness that clutched the air around him while he waited for the water to boil. Maybe he should get a pet. A rather brilliant idea crossed his mind, and he made a mental note to call someone to find a pet good for him. He could easily hire a top-notch animal babysitter to take care of it.. Or someone else he knew. A certain somebody whose phone number he had just obtained. Being his boss, he could easily manipulate his work schedules. Byakuya smirked an almost childish gleam. 

Pets were filthy and messy, but perhaps it would ease the aching loneliness just a bit, especially if he decided to pull through with his plan. Ease the stabbing pain of harsh reality that he’s had to live in since freshman year.

The crushing pain of watching the one he loves be happy with someone else.

He was never a fan of the idol since the first day of class. She was too.. Showy. She acted so nice that Byakuya believed it was all just an act to make people like her. He simply ignored her existence until he realized just how much time his….crush… had spent with her. Until it was too late. And the snake had already claimed him with her wicked fangs in her overly-friendly-to-the-point-of-being-fake smile when she had pulled the small brunette close to her one morning and announced they were dating. 

The heir had scoffed and bet that they wouldn’t last a month. There was no way the unexpectedly clever boy would be dumb enough to stay with her for so long. He had to realize how fake she constantly acted. How fake that giggle was that made the boy blush and smile back at her. How the sly girl had only lured him into her trap to use him. How venomous her kisses were. How she always left him alone to tend to herself, paying no mind to her other. Her other who was obviously upset, but too hopelessly gullible and selfless to say anything. There was no way the kind, innocent boy would last a week.

Byakuya was horribly, awfully wrong. 

It had been over 2 years. And those two were still together. 

And every interaction between the two frustrated him. Every time the brunette’s mouth had etched out the wretched words that were her name: Sayaka Maizono. Ripped out his heart, just a little. Little by little until he found himself a broken mess at home one night - an occurrence that was more than a one-time thing - while he lay in his bed before bed and reflected on his day. He became such a mess due to one person. The one thing he couldn’t get, the one thing that wasn’t his.

Byakuya Togami always got what he wanted, when he wanted, at the best quality. But after time, he had realized that trying to force the brunette to separate from Maizono was not a good idea after seeing how happy he was around her. And god, did that frustrate him.

And it absolutely frustrated him too that he couldn’t control these emotions that continuously chewed him up. Despite his years of shoving down his emotional desires and needs, it resurfaced. And sometimes it frustrated him when he hardly even knew *why* he was so affected by a single person. 

The whistling kettle brought him back to the present, and he listened to the sound of the water as he poured it into his mug. He carried it back to his seat on the couch and took off his coat. He’d forgotten to take off his coat, too, in all the thinking he’d been doing. In the real world, it paid off to have such an analytic and reflective mind. But in the emotional world, it was a curse.

The brunette was always surrounded by tons of people. He called everyone in his class his friends, though Byakuya practically spat at the word he called them. His “friends” constantly begged him to pay for snacks, made him do favors, blamed him when they got in trouble, cheated off his homework, and took him for granted in general. Friends were a nuisance in this world, and relationships would only hinder his success and drag down his life.

Or so he thought, until it came to the one exception of a person.

He stared down into the cup of green tea before him, gazing into his warped reflection. This was the same Byakuya Togami who had wanted nothing to do with such a plebeian, or any other being, years ago. His glasses began to fog up from the warm fragrance that floated out of his mug. He sipped the tea in front of him, which was hot to his tongue, but not hot enough to burn.

The phone in his pocket reminded him of the fact that he could now easily send a message to the boy. But now that he had access to communicate with him, he didn’t know what to do. Or what to say. He wanted so badly to find out what exactly had been dragging his mood down, but there was no casual way to do so. His instinct had always been to shut down and close up, and though he liked the rather cute boy, he had no clue, or want, to be the first to give in. And instead of being warmer to the other, he often acted even stricter, even harsher towards him. Unfortunately he sometimes took parts of his anger and frustrations out on him.

How did other people do this kind of thing? Sacrifice their dignity to send “nice things”? Kind words were something he never had interest in giving, and still felt a sickening shudder run through him as he imagined sending some kind of grossly sweet message. He tried to think of anything else he could send. Maybe he could go into work tomorrow and tell the brunette to be there. He had to admit it. Work had felt so much less of a waste of a time with his little assistant there. Maybe less lonely.. Though the heir refused to admit it. Byakuya had smirked behind his back as he was thrown pouts and sighs from the other boy, until he realized something was seriously off with him. That idea was far too needy, and his assistant had seemed to need time to deal with whatever was weighing him down. Hmmm..

Togami: Make sure you’re in top shape for Monday. You are in charge of setting up the morning conference. In addition, I have business to attend to in other places later that day, but I need someone to take care of my new pet for a little bit

He chuckled lightly. New pet. It was like his new pet wasn’t actually the cat, but-

Byakuya froze his fingers over the send button. No, this wasn’t it. What was he even doing?? He huffed in frustration and flung the phone across the coffee table, watching it slide over the edge.

Though he didn’t want to admit it, he often recalled a very special day. It was one of those days that he, being his usual self, arrived the earliest to class. He often happened to beat that other student - the one who had abhorrent eyebrows and was akin to a ruler in both his posture and strictness - leaving the former distraught. Not that he was wasting his time trying to play any kind of “game” with his classmate. But he had made efforts to arrive early most every day after an encounter he’d had one early morning. When an unexpected visitor had disrupted his peace and quiet. Even when it was just the two of them, though, Byakuya had hardly made an effort to acknowledge him. The heir was satisfied in his quiet one-on-one time with the other; just a few words were enough.

He sighed and facepalmed, thinking about how childish it was to think he had done such a thing, and still might do. Going to school early, just for the possibility he might run into his *crush*?? Or the times he had wandered the school after hours, seeking the soothing singing voice that rang through the halls? The voice that belonged to someone who wasn’t his. That it wasn’t *his* voice to hear, it wasn’t *his* to think and care about. And he hated the fact that he had acted like a love-crazed schoolgirl. The boy must be horrible for his health.

Despite how highly he thought of himself, there was always an unsatisfactory gap. Perhaps it was the pessimistic view on the dull and empty world around him; the idea that no matter what, he was trapped here with solely himself, the only one of two respectable people he knew. But, as cringey as it sounded, Byakuya had to admit that the boy brought positivity and color to his life.

No, not “the boy”, he corrected himself. He had been avoiding using his name all day long to preserve his composed state. He closed his eyes.

“Makoto Naegi,” he spoke aloud, feeling the name on his tongue.

And then he remembered that one moment where it had begun.


	5. Seven Forty-Six

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Byakuya reminisces..

It was just before the sun had begun to rise. 

It was one of those piercingly chilly days, one that bites your ankles and wrists and cheeks as soon as you step out of warm safety. Even wrapped in an expensive coat and scarf, Byakuya realized that style sometimes overtook comfort. And despite layers and layers of high-quality clothing, the cold managed to seep in through said layers and soak into his bones. His fingers and toes were beginning to hurt as he lightly shivered, even from his short quarter-mile walk from his heated car. Below his boots, the small patches of snow from the poorly-shoveled pathway crunched loudly.

It was winter, and the ground around the concrete walkway was covered in a thick sheet of white. It had snowed the night before, and the untouched snow was quite satisfying to his masterfully artful eye. 

Byakuya had decided to head to class early that day in order to get some work done in peace and quiet. Or maybe to just sit in the still, almost eerily silent and dim-lit room. The sun just below the horizon painted the sky oranges, pinks, and purples, and turned the clouds into cotton candy. Everything lain around him was tainted with a hint of the pink, the snow reflecting the pastel-splashed sky. It was such a picturesque sight that Byakuya had to admit to himself it was.. Beautiful. It was so mesmerizing that he stopped in his tracks to gaze up at the horizon, watching his breath come out in whisps before him.

He was so mesmerized with the sight before him that he hardly noticed another presence behind him until from there came a ruckus of noise and crunching footsteps. The shifting and scrabbling and zipping and rustling from behind him. And then the peaceful moment was completely disrupted when he felt a bump into his back.

He turned his head and glared at the idiot, only to notice the boringly average kid that he vaguely recognized from his class. The annoying, normal, lowly nobody who had attempted so many conversations with him. Whose melodic voice he had heard floating out of one of the classrooms after school. The voice of which Byakuya had found himself continuing to seek out while simultaneously denying that it was anything but accidental. He recalled several times that it was this classmate who had attempted to see through him and offer his help, “friendship” and comfort. Pfft. Lonely.. Who was this kid to act like he knew him? He didn’t even remember his name.

But god, was that kid a mess. His hair was sticking up all over the place, that stupid piece of hair jutting out the top, and ungracefully searching through his bag and pockets. He was so busy digging through them that he hadn’t seen where he was walking. A small flame of annoyance burned through Byakuya. Only after physically running into the tall blonde did he lift his head and meet the narrowed eyes of ice, the imbecile. The boy’s lips parted to speak and then closed with a cloud of breath a small gasp and that was shushed by the blonde’s glare. 

“Watch where you’re going, you -”

But then the sight before him created the strangest sensation within him that turned whatever he was going to say to dust.

From below him, the tainted light from outside spilled onto his milky skin, revealing his rosy cheeks, the freckles sparkling on his nose, his shivering body, and those eyes. Those emerald-green, glistening eyes full of bewilderment and awe and that, in the moment, were fully captured by Byakuya, and only Byakuya. It took his breath away to say the least. Did he stare? Most likely. How long did they stare? Byakuya lost count. The coldness that hung in the air around him and clutched his body was long-since forgotten.

“O-oh, uh, do you know what t-time it is?” Chattering teeth, shivering. Big doe eyes. Cheeks bitten with rose from the winter breeze.

Byakuya wanted to bask in this moment. For once in his life, he wondered about someone else. He wanted to know how far he had been walking in this deathly cold air. He wanted to ask if he was alright. He wanted to offer up his own layers of clothing if it would slow the shivering of the other by the most miniscule amount. He wondered how those eyes shimmered so full of hope and optimism and.. Beauty despite the cruel reality of life and the coldness and the emptiness. He wanted to try to understand and get to know this anomaly before him. He just couldn’t figure it out. And it frustrated him.

It was something he never would have expected to see in such a dull world, especially radiating from this hopelessly average person. This hopelessly average person who definitely held no effect on him, had not made him *feel* anything, who was most certainly normal and plain and annoying….right? 

Usually he would make some snide remark or dodge the question. But at this moment, he couldn’t think to do that. It was like he felt electrical jolts - no, he certainly felt jolts, was this healthy? - course throughout his body. So he answered simply and found he couldn’t break their eye contact as his heartbeat began to race. This beautiful moment that, unwillingly, he hadn’t wanted to end where the small brunette below him had his attention focused on him and him alone. He replied softly, without its usual harshness.

“Seven Forty-Six.”

And then he was flashed the biggest, warmest, most heart-melting smile the heir had ever experienced. It stabbed through his heart in the most achingly pleasant way, and in the moment he just let it be.

And then he remembered the boy’s name before him, who was giving him a smile warm enough to thaw his internal iciness and physically warm the air around him. The one whose name he wouldn’t be able to get out of his head for years, the only one who continued to try to talk to him despite his coldness, the only one who was a threat to Byakuya’s locked-up emotions, the enigma who he could never understand or figure out, the one who would continue to surprise him, the one who would keep him up at night thinking about and longing to hear his voice call out his name.

His name was Makoto Naegi.


End file.
